Chapter the Third:
In which our heroine finds herself under attack, and both blood and conclusions are drawn.
“Don’t fool yourself that just because you’ve known him longer than anybody else, you get to keep him.”
Venexia’s bitter, yet matter of fact statement made all the more impact for her menacing glare and the way she was advancing towards me as I walked down through Old School on the way to Maths.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I lied smoothly and evenly. I did have some idea. This was about Blake. But from there onwards, I was lost.
“You need to be taught a lesson in sharing, sweetie. The first rule is, don’t backchat the teacher.” She raised her clenched fist and shouted three harsh syllables. A wave of green fire washed over the shield I’d had milliseconds to erect. Shit. If she was using vampire magic, would I be able to keep up? Or to stay alive, for that matter?
I drew on my power to create a set of Goldman’s chains, magical bonds that were impossible to break for anyone but the caster. I thought I remembered how to do it...
“You,” Venexia said, enunciating every word with spite. “Are. A. Pathetic. Excuse. For. A. Witch. I don’t know what he sees in you. But it’s time for you to learn that you can’t handle me.”
Another wave of fire, this time blood red. I felt my shield shiver as I readied my charm. I didn’t want to hurt her, just to stop her from hurting me - or that’s what I told myself.
“Now,” she spat, “I’m going to break that pretty face of yours; maybe then you’ll get it.”
I shouted the final word of my charm, and Venexia fell backwards onto the floor, her ankles bound and her arms stuck to her sides. Not before her fist had connected with my face, however. Black eye? Check. Probably broken nose? Check. Cut along one cheekbone from her class ring? Check.
As I heard footsteps coming up the corridor, I released Venexia’s bonds and bent over her like I was concerned. In reality, I was wiping her mind of the last ten minutes. I slipped her into the recovery position as I looked up to see Miss Spry rushing towards us. “Evee, what’s wrong?”
Devil, that ring was sharp! I wiped the trickle of blood from my cheek as I turned to the teacher.
“I think she’s had a fit, Miss.” Well, who said I wasn’t inventive? “She seems to have quieted down, but I had to restrain her.”
“You’re quite battered there, aren’t you? Well, scars for the boys, hey?” The young witch winked at me and raised an unusually quiescent Venexia into the air with a wave of her hand. She indicated that I follow her to the sick bay, where she laughed at my thoughts of a broken nose, gave me some painkillers (which only mutilated - not killed - the pain) and an icepack and told me to go to Maths. She bent over Venexia as I left the room. Devil, that had been close!
When I walked into Maths, Ms Irons looked up, opened her mouth to say something and came out with nothing more than “Oh, Evee, you are joining us this morning. Page 67, please.”
-So,- I thought as I worked through the algebra- what was all that about? Blake obviously, but Venexia? Was she in love with him? I didn’t see what that had to do with me; I wasn’t interested in him that way! That would be so weird…- But the voice in my head was overruled by a louder and more powerful one, saying sarcastically - So that’s why you keep kissing him then. - Shut up Voice. I had enough to deal with.
**
“Devil, Evee, what’d she do to you?” exclaimed Blake when he saw the state I was in. We were walking to Art, carrying armfuls of Maths prep work for tomorrow. Second lesson, and I already had four scrolls of work for this evening. I hate being a fifth year.
Blake was making sympathetic noises over the cut on my cheek, not realising it was his fault. Well, it was, indirectly, if you remove the Venexia-being-a-total-psychopath cause.
“Want me to do your Maths tonight?” he offered. I didn’t see what effect a scratch would have on my mathematical abilities, but I jumped at the offer anyway. Less homework! Plus, I knew Blake would get it all right, which was definitely an improvement on me doing it.
I’d ‘pathed Blake and Lexy a quick outline of my encounter with Venexia, after I got fed up with the concerned glances I could feel bouncing off the back of my head like so many tennis balls. I then had to restrain them from marching straight off to the sick bay, to deal with the perpetrator of the ‘random attack’. Because of course I had to skim over the fact that she thought there was something between Blake and me; I so did not want that getting round. I mean, Blake and me? So wrong.
-Right… - said the voice. Shut up Voice.
Blake’s thoughts were obviously a lot more fun than mine, since he laughed out loud, jarring me out of my Venexia-inhabited daydream. He began to skip round me in a parody of a courtly dance.
“My lady? Deportment homework beckons.” There was the most mischievous grin in his eyes and on his face. Laughing and playing along, I gave him my hand and spun with him. He was humming again, and this time I joined in, harmonising. I didn’t even know I could do that! Archie’s spells were powerful stuff.
Blake spun me into his arms as he reached the end of the song, finishing the dance but not letting go. He looked down into my eyes, and for a moment, still dizzy from the dancing, all I could see was his dilated pupils, the band of chocolate brown around the outside barely visible. Oh good. He was hungry. And we were late for Art.
“Go on then.” I whispered resignedly, pulling at the neck of my shirt. I had my charm, so there wasn’t any danger, but it still hurt every time.
He smiled gratefully, just the hint of his canines peeking from under his lips. He bent his head ever so close to mine, whispering “Evee...” either in my ear or my mind as he slid his mouth down to the ever-present double pinpricks on my neck. Oh, the fire. It was more intimate than love, more sensuous than a kiss, more painful than heartbreak. It was... over, too quickly.
“I have to go clean up. Thanks, Eev.” He wandered off, and I walked to Art alone, gingerly touching the newly tender skin.
This is all my own work, so any mistakes are mine. The plot, characters, and actual text all belong to me as the author.